Safety cap

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a safety cap which is screwed onto an upper portion of a container body in which contents are stored so as to open/close the outlet of a container. The safety cap of the present invention is configured such that, when an outer cap rotates in a closing direction, a stopper protrusion of the outer cap is brought into contact with a protrusion of an inner cap and the outer cap and the inner cap rotate together, thus enabling the container to be easily closed and automatically capped during a manufacturing process.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a safety cap, and in particular to asafety cap which has features in that an engaging protrusion of an outercap comes into contact with a protrusion piece of an inner cap when anouter cap rotates in a closing direction, so the outer cap and the innercap rotate together, so a closing work is easy, and an automatic cappingprocess can be implemented during a manufacture process.

Background Art

A cap is generally designed to prevent the contents stored in acontainer body from discharging to the outside as it is capped at thetop of the container body while preventing contamination of contents.

The above mentioned cap is so designed that anyone can easily open andclose as it rotates on one or the other direction because it is screwedto the threads of a container body. With this construction, a kid wholacks discernment may open easily the cap thus spilling the contents,which results in over consumption of the contents. In particular, incase that the container body stores contents harmful to a human body, akid may drink the contents without knowing what is in the containerbody, so a serious accident may happen.

In order to improve the above mentioned problems, there are provided astructure featuring in that the cap can be opened only when the top ofthe cap is pressed downward, and a structure featuring in that the capcan be opened only when both sides of the cap are pressurized for thekid not to easily open the cap.

The conventional safety cap for a container of the Korean Utility ModelRegistration Number 0422318 will be described. Referring to theconventional safety cap, the safety cap 10 for a container configuredfor a kid not to easily open comprises an inner cap 11 screwed onto thecontainer body 1, and an outer cap 15 assembled to idle rotate againstthe inner cap 11, and there is further provided a holding part 12 formedat the lower portion of the inner cap 11 for a user to easily hold thesame with a finger.

The conventional safety cap can help a kind not to easily open, howeverit is configured for the cap to be closed only when the holding part 12is held when closing the cap, so it is not easy to close due to theholding part 12 with a narrow width, thus causing inconvenience to theuser when in use.

In addition, since the closing of the cap is performed holding theholding part 12, the automatic capping process is impossible during themanufacture process, so the capping should be performed in a manual way,and it takes long for the sake of capping.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is made to improve the abovementioned problems encountered in the conventional art and otherproblems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a safetycap which has features in that an engaging protrusion of an outer capcomes into contact with a protrusion piece of an inner cap when an outercap rotates in a closing direction, so the outer cap and the inner caprotate together, so a closing work is easy, and an automatic cappingprocess can be implemented during a manufacture process.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a safety capwhich is configured in a structure that the cap can be opened only whenit is rotated in a state that a rotation indication part of an inner capis pressurized, so a kid who does not know the above construction isprevented from opening the cap and can be protected from a possibleintake of contents harmful to a human body while preventing unnecessaryconsumption of the contents.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a safety cap which isscrewed to the top of a container body storing contents and opens andcloses a discharge part of the container, comprising an inner cap whichsurrounds the top of the container body and has threads on an innersurface for a thread engagement and a plurality of regularly spacedprotrusion pieces formed at the top of the same and a rotationindication part that a user holds and rotates, formed at the lowerportion of the same; and an outer cap which is engaged surrounding theinner cap, an engaging protrusion protruding downward from an innerportion of its top and fixed by the protrusion piece when it rotates inthe closing direction for thereby rotating the inner cap, a cap fixingstrap provided at its lower portion and engaged surrounding the rotationindication part in a parting-possible way.

In addition, the engaging protrusion has a gentle slope formed from oneside to the other direction and moves pressurizing the top of theprotrusion piece by the slope of the engaging protrusion when the outercap rotates in the opening direction.

In addition, the protrusion piece is made from a flexible material sothat it can move in the downward direction by the pressurizing of theengaging protrusion when the outer cap rotates in the opening directionand then can return.

In addition, the cap fixing strap comprises an engaging part which isengaged surrounding the rotation indication part of the inner cap; and ahandle part formed at a front end portion of the engaging part.

In addition, a slip prevention protrusion is formed at an outer surfaceof the rotation indication part.

Advantageous Effects

The present invention provides a safety cap which has features in thatan engaging protrusion of an outer cap comes into contact with aprotrusion piece of an inner cap when an outer cap rotates in a closingdirection, so the outer cap and the inner cap rotate together, so aclosing work is easy, and an automatic capping process can beimplemented during a manufacture process.

In addition, the present invention has advantages in that the cap can beopened only when it is rotated in a state that a rotation indicationpart of an inner cap is pressurized, so a kid who does not know theabove construction is prevented from opening the cap and can beprotected from a possible intake of contents harmful to a human bodywhile preventing unnecessary consumption of the contents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating a construction ofa safety cap according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an engaged cross sectional view illustrating a construction ofa safety cap according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a disassembled cross sectional view illustrating a state thatan outer cap of a safety cap is disassembled according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4 to 6 are views for describing the moving states of a protrusionpiece and an engaging protrusion on the basis of a rotation of an outercap of a safety cap according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a view for describing a procedure that a safety cap is openedaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings. It is noted that the same reference numeralsappearing in each drawing means the same elements.

FIG. 1 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating a construction ofa safety cap according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. FIG. 2 is an engaged cross sectional view illustrating aconstruction of a safety cap according to a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. FIG. 3 is a disassembled cross sectional viewillustrating a state that an outer cap of a safety cap is disassembledaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4 to 6 are views for describing the moving states of a protrusionpiece and an engaging protrusion on the basis of a rotation of an outercap of a safety cap according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. FIG. 7 is a view for describing a procedure that a safety capis opened according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the safety cap according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention comprises an inner cap 100 and anouter cap 200.

The inner cap 100 is screwed to the threads 11 formed at the top of thecontainer body 10 storing contents and has thread on its inner surfacefor the sake of a thread engagement with the threads 11.

In the present invention, a plurality of spaced protrusion pieces 120are formed at the top of the inner cap 100, and the protrusion piece 120helps fix and move the engaging protrusion 210 when the outer cap 200rotates in the opening or closing direction.

The protrusion piece 120 is injected protruding upwardly from the top ofthe inner cap 100. In the present invention, the protrusion piece 120 ismade from a flexible material. When the outer cap 200 is engaged to theinner cap 100, the protrusion piece 120 bends inwards by thepressurizing force of the outer cap 200 while allowing the engagingprotrusion 210 to fix and move.

It is preferred that the protrusion piece 120 has a slope surface formedas its top rises from the outer side to the inner side for theprotrusion piece 120 to easily bend inwardly when the outer cap 200pressurizes.

The protrusion piece 120 is made from a flexible material, so it canmove in the downward direction upon the pressurizing of the engagingprotrusion 210 when the outer cap 200 rotates in the opening directionin a state that it is held, and then it recovers. Since the protrusionpiece 120 does not engage with the engaging protrusion 210, the kidcannot open the safety cap of the present invention because the outercap 200 idle rotates.

The present invention comprises a rotation indication part 130 at thelower portion of the inner cap 100 for a user to hold and rotate it, andthe rotation indication part 130 remains non-exposed in a state that acap fixing strap 220 of the outer cap 200 is engaged to the outer cap200, in other words, before the product of the present invention isfirst used, and becomes exposed to the outside when the cap fixing strap220 parts from the outer cap 200.

It is preferred that a slip prevention protrusion 131 is formed on anouter surface for the inner cap 100 to rotate easily in a state that theuser holds the rotation indication part 130.

It is preferred that at the top of the discharge part 12 of thecontainer body 10 is provided a sealing member 300 for the purpose ofpreventing contents from discharging.

The outer cap 200 is engaged surrounding the inner cap 10 and is fixedat the protrusion piece 120 when it rotates in the closing direction, sothe inner cap 100 rotates. In the present invention, at the innerportion of the top of the outer cap 200 is provided an engagingprotrusion 210 which protrudes downward and is fixed by the protrusionpiece 120 formed at the inner cap 100 when it rotates in the closingdirection and helps rotate the inner cap 100.

The engaging protrusion 210 has a gentle slope rising from one side tothe other side, the end portion of the other side being formed of asharp slope surface at almost 90°. When the outer cap 200 rotates in theclosing direction, the sharp sloe surface forming the end portion of theother side of the engaging protrusion 210 comes into contact with theprotrusion piece 120, so the cap is closed as the inner cap 100 rotatestogether depending on the rotation of the outer cap 200. When the outercap 200 rotates in the opening direction, the gentle slope portion ofthe engaging protrusion 210 pressurizes the top of the protrusion piece120 and moves, so the outer cap 200 can idle rotate.

At the lower portion of the outer cap 200 is provided a cap fixing strap220 which surrounds the rotation indication part 130 and is engaged in aparting-possible way from the outer cap 200. The cap fixing strap 220comprises an engaging part 221 which is engaged at the lower portion ofthe outer cap 200 and surrounds the rotation indication part 130 of theinner cap 100, and a handle part 222 formed at the front portion of theengaging part 221 for the user to hold and part the cap fixing strap220.

The cap fixing strap 220 remains surrounding the rotation indicationpart 130 and parts from the outer cap 200 by the rotation at one sidefrom the user while exposing the rotation indication part 130 to theoutside, so the opening of the safety cap is performed through therotation indication part 130.

The opening and closing operations of the safety cap according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

FIGS. 4 to 6 are views for describing the moving states of a protrusionpiece and an engaging protrusion on the basis of a rotation of an outercap of a safety cap according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. FIG. 7 is a view for describing a procedure that a safety capis opened according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, when closing the safety cap according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention, the user rotates theouter cap 200 in the closing direction in a state the outer cap 200 isheld. As the outer cap 200 rotates, the engaging protrusion 210protruding downward from the inner portion of the top of the outer cap200 rotates together, and as the rotation protrusion 210 rotates, theother side surface corresponding to the sharp slope of the rotationprotrusion 210 comes into contact with the protrusion piece 120 and isfixed, thus rotating the inner cap 100. The user can close the cap inthe same way as closing a conventional screw-engaging type cap onto thecontainer body.

As shown in FIG. 7, when opening the safety cap according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention, the user holds the handle part 222of the cap fixing strap 220 and rotates in one direction, and the capfixing strap 220 forming the lower portion of the outer cap 200 partsfrom the outer cap 200. When the cap fixing strap 22 parts from theouter cap 200, the rotation indication part 130 of the inner cap 100 isexposed to the outside, and the user rotates the inner cap 100 in theopening direction while pressurizing the rotation indication part 130,thus opening the safety cap.

In the safety cap 100 according to the present invention, the cap can besimply closed in the same method as closing a conventionalscrew-engaging type cap onto the container body when closing the capthrough the structures of the protrusion piece 120 of the inner cap 100and the engaging protrusion 210 of the outer cap 200, so the automaticcapping can be possible during the manufacture process, and themanufacture time can be saved,

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, itshould also be understood that the above-described examples are notlimited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within itsspirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore allchanges and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of theclaims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intendedto be embraced by the appended claims.

1. A safety cap which is screwed to the top of a container body storingcontents and opens and closes a discharge part of the container,comprising: an inner cap which surrounds the top of the container bodyand has threads on an inner surface for a thread engagement and aplurality of regularly spaced protrusion pieces formed at the top of thesame and a rotation indication part that a user holds and rotates,formed at the lower portion of the same; and an outer cap which isengaged surrounding the inner cap, an engaging protrusion protrudingdownward from an inner portion of its top and fixed by the protrusionpiece when it rotates in the closing direction for thereby rotating theinner cap, a cap fixing strap provided at its lower portion and engagedsurrounding the rotation indication part in a parting-possible way. 2.The cap of claim 1, wherein the engaging protrusion has a gentle slopeformed from one side to the other direction and moves pressurizing thetop of the protrusion piece by the slope of the engaging protrusion whenthe outer cap rotates in the opening direction.
 3. The cap of claim 2,wherein the protrusion piece is made from a flexible material so that itcan move in the downward direction by the pressurizing of the engagingprotrusion when the outer cap rotates in the opening direction and thencan return.
 4. The cap of claim 1, wherein the cap fixing strapcomprises: an engaging part which is engaged surrounding the rotationindication part of the inner cap; and a handle part formed at a frontend portion of the engaging part.
 5. The cap of claim 1, wherein a slipprevention protrusion is formed at an outer surface of the rotationindication part.